A word: The opportunity of large trade fairs

In the eyes of the Greta Group, car shows are evil par excellence. From their point of view, the automobile is uncritically worshipped here as the number one climate offender.

But now the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) showed, involuntarily of course and thwarted by Corona, how automotive innovations can be presented in a largely climate-neutral way. Trade show director Oliver Rihs probably imagined something different when he told AutoSprintCH that "the visitor experience is no longer just on site.

He could not have known then that his event would take on a pioneering role. In fact, the 2020 edition of GIMS was the world's first digital automotive trade show, prevented visitors could view the innovations online without having to travel and therefore in a climate-friendly manner. GIMS 2020 thus became the first CO2-neutral event of its kind.

And in view of this almost forced pioneering act, where was the praise of the Greta friends who had to bury their demo plans?

Perhaps you can guess that the virus has not necessarily heralded the final end of the classic automotive trade shows. After all, people are profoundly analog creatures and want to experience things, touch things, experience things - and that continues to be the opportunity of the big trade shows.

In the meantime, danger threatens less from the environmental radicals than from the exhibitors' unemotional accountants. They could set the analog expense against the cheaper digital options and thus - without wanting to - play into the hands of the Greta faction.

If you would like to join the discussion on Walther Wuttke's thoughts, please write to: info@autosprint.ch